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  • Owen (80), Martins (87)
  • Taylor, R (3), Bramble (89)
  • Date:2008-11-15
  • Kick-off:15:00
  • Venue:St James' Park
  • Attendance:47687
  • Referee:Marriner, A

Live Commentary

90mins

FULL TIME: NEWCASTLE 2-2 WIGAN. Newcastle were far better after the break and in that dramatic finish it is probably about fair that the game ends in a draw. Wigan certainly did not deserve to lose.

90mins

A late change for Wigan as Henri Camara is replaced by Kevin Kilbane.

90mins

What a finish this is! Newcastle back on the attack and the ball is rolled out to Guthrie but Kirkland makes up for his earlier error as he superbly turns his shot over.

89mins

NEWCASTLE 2-2 WIGAN. Sensational stuff! De Ridder's corner is headed down into the bottom corner by Titus BRAMBLE to surely gain Wigan a much-deserved point.

87mins

NEWCASTLE 2-1 WIGAN. There it is! Newcastle fans are sent into raptures as MARTINS blasts the ball like a rocket past Kirkland from the edge of the box with the keeper left with no chance.

83mins

Here comes the onslaught! Can Wigan hold out for the rest of the match to collect a much deserved point or will Newcastle steal them all?

80mins

Wigan respond to that with an atttacking change as Daniel De Ridder replaces Ryan Taylor.

80mins

NEWCASTLE 1-1 WIGAN. Ameobi lets fly from range and Kirkland is unable to hold onto it and Michael OWEN is on hand to smash into the empty net from a yard out.

77mins

So close to finishing the game! Camara sprints easily clear of Coloccini and curls the ball round Given but the ball bounces back off the post and back into the arms of the keeper.

74mins

Martins again wide on the left puts a wonderful ball in and Owen hits the target this time but Kirkland makes a fantastic save.

71mins

Unbelievable! Martins gets to the byline and spots Owen unmarked six yards from goal but somehow the England striker manages to place it wide. A huge miss!

69mins

Joe Kinnear has just taken off Newcastle's best player this afternoon and the fans are not at all impressed with the decision as they switch to a 4-3-3.

69mins

A double change from Newcastle as Jonas Gutierrez and Jose Enrique are replaced by Michael Owen and Charles N'Zogbia.

67mins

WIgan have done superbly to see off that pressure from the hosts immediately after the goal and are starting to find their feet once more.

64mins

However, Wigan remain a danger on the break as they show here with Valencia outstripping Coloccini to test Given but the rebound evades the onrushing Camara.

62mins

The pressure is growing and the crowd are getting involved now! Newcastle are storming on the Wigan penalty area with Martins testing Kirkland with a glancing header.

60mins

Superb chance wasted again! Beye fires the ball across the box and Ameobi misses it inexplicably and Gutierrez does the same as Kirkland is thankful to drop on the ball.

59mins

Wilson Palacios is the latest in the book as he drags back a sprinting Martins.

58mins

Wigan have re-structured quite quickly with Taylor reverting to right-back and Kapo dropping onto the left wing.

55mins

It was coming! Emmerson Boyce picks up a second yellow card as he takes out Ameobi and he is dismissed.

53mins

Bassong goes close but he really should have equalised as he somehow heads Butt's flighted free-kick over the bar from six yards.

52mins

Bramble is very lucky! After picking up a booking he trips Ameobi as the striker turned and the crowd immediately are up in arms wanting a red card but referee Marriner gives a final warning.

51mins

Titus Bramble follows Beye into the book as he collects a yellow card for barging former team-mate Given after the keeper collected a simple corner.

50mins

Habib Beye collects a yellow card now for a tackle on Taylor that left plenty to be desired.

49mins

The pattern of play has changed very little immediately after the restart with Wigan still controlling plenty of the ball and Camara fires straight at Given.

46mins

The second period is underway and surely Joe Kinnear would have given his team a rollicking at the break - Steve Bruce meanwhile was probably elated.

45mins

Half-Time: NEWCASTLE 0-1 WIGAN. Wigan have dominated the opening period looking very comfortable throughout with Newcastle being fortunate to go in just one goal down after Taylor's wonder volley so early for the visitors.

45mins

Wilson Palacios is down injured again holding his ankle and the home fans are not impressed.

45mins

Superb chance for Newcastle as they finally apply some pressure but Martins fires straight at Kirkland when through one-on-one.

45mins

There are going to five minutes of added time at the end of the half.

43mins

Finally Kapo's running repairs seem finished as he comes on with a fresh shirt and the frustrations of the home fans grow as Butt misplaces a simple five yard pass.

42mins

Kapo has come on and gone off again three times with his nose problem now and it looks to be a real problem for him.

39mins

Another delay here as Kapo and Bassong clash heads and the Wigan man's nose is bleeding horribly and this could take a while.

38mins

Chance for Newcastle! Shola Ameobi misses a near sitter as Duff crosses to the far post and the big striker rises but can't keep his close range header down.

35mins

Totally flat! Wigan have silenced the fans and the home players are struggling to keep pace with them but, without Zaki and Heskey, Wigan don't look overly threatening.

32mins

The atmosphere is non-existent on Tyneside as the home fans have had nothing really to get excited about in the first half-hour and that is because of Wigan's superb start.

29mins

Newcastle's first shot! Gutierrez mazes past three players before slicing wildly over from the edge of the box - Palacios is down and the physio is back on.

28mins

Wigan are just sitting back a bit now as they look to solidify for a few minutes and there has not been too much at either end for the last five minutes or so.

25mins

The visitors are closing down all over the place and Newcastle are unable to do anything in attack - they are yet to even threaten at having a shot at goal.

22mins

Wigan are enjoying so much of the ball that you would think they were the home side and they look too comfortable, far too comfortable if you support Newcastle.

20mins

Newcastle are in disarray at the moment and Wigan are trying to capitalise as Palacios strides forward to unleash a rocket that Given does superbly again to fingertip wide.

15mins

Barton is actually unable to continue as he is carried down the tunnel and Danny Guthrie is on in his place.

15mins

Emmerson Boyce collects a yellow card for a tackle on Damien Duff.

14mins

Joey Barton is down injured in the centre circle after a hooking, wrapping, lunging tackle from Lee Cattermole.

11mins

Newcastle cannot deal with a right-footed right-back playing on the left wing today! Ryan Taylor again cuts inside and smashes at goal forcing a good diving parry from GIven this time.

9mins

Wigan have settled well now and Scharner has half a chance as he bursts into the box to meet Valencia's cross but he can't keep the header down.

6mins

Silent at famously one of the loudest grounds in the country and the Newcastle fans have dropped completely flat after that early goal.

3mins

NEWCASTLE 0-1 WIGAN. A stunning strike from RYAN TAYLOR as he smashes the ball with the outside of his foot into the top corner from 25 yards leaving Given stranded.

2mins

A slow start here at St. James' with neither side taking any great control.

1mins

Andre Marriner is the man in the middle today and he gets us underway on Tyneside with Wigan kicking off.

0mins

Wigan: Kirkland, Taylor, Bramble, Boyce, Figueroa, Scharner, Cattermole, Palacios, Kapo, Camara, Valencia

0mins

Newcastle: Given, Beye, Bassong, Coloccini, Jose Enrique, Gutierrez, Barton, Butt, Duff, Ameobi, Martins

0mins

Wigan probably can't believe they are so close to the drop zone with the number of goals Amr Zaki has been scoring. But today they are without the Egyptian and Emile Heskey so Henri Camara starts alone up front.

0mins

Newcastle looked to have kickstarted their season with a win here over Aston Villa but they then suffered defeat at Fulham to lose that momentum - still no start for Michael Owen.

0mins

Welcome to St. James' Park where forever in crisis Newcastle host struggling Wigan.

Match Preview

Newcastle United are aiming to pull themselves out of the relegation zone when they take on Wigan Athletic.

Back-to-back victories over Aston Villa and West Brom had moved the previously struggling Magpies into the relative safety of mid-table.

However, last Sunday's 2-1 reverse at Fulham and the congested nature of the bottom half of the table saw Joe Kinnear's side drop like a stone back into the bottom three.

Kinnear was furious that Fulham were awarded a second-half penalty in a nip-and-tuck game despite television replays clearly suggesting referee Martin Atkinson was correct in his decision.

A post-game outburst in which he branded Atkinson a 'Mickey Mouse referee' has landed Kinnear in hot water with the Football Association and overshadowed his preparations for an increasingly important game.

Michael Owen could return to the starting line-up after proving his fitness following a recent hamstring injury with two substitute appearances.

Elsewhere, Steven Taylor will come back into the heart of the defence following a groin niggle, but Mark Viduka and Alan Smith (both Achilles) are still some way off returning to full fitness.

Wigan find themselves level on points with the Magpies but one place higher in the table as they prepare to make the trip to St James' Park.

Last weekend's goalless draw with Stoke City kept the Latics out of the relegation places on goal difference alone, but one victory from their last six games has highlighted the inconsistent nature of Steve Bruce's side.

Bruce must return to his native north-east without the attacking services of Emile Heskey following the England striker's latest hamstring injury.

Henri Camara will deputise for his strike partner alongside Amr Zaki, but the Senegal international has not scored in the Premier League for almost two years.

However, should he find the net then he would become only the fourth player - after Heskey, Zaki and Antonio Valencia - to score this season for the increasingly goal-shy Latics.


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Match Report

Taunted Titus Bramble enjoyed shutting up the boo-boys who made his life such a misery during his stay on Tyneside with a dramatic late equaliser at St James' Park.

The big defender crashed in a header in the dying seconds to salvage a point for Wigan Athletic which was all Steve Bruce's battling warriors deserved.

Wigan had led through an early Ryan Taylor strike only for United to look as if they had won with late goals themselves from substitute Michael Owen and a stunning Obafemi Martins goal.

It seemed as though it would be a third home win for Joe Kinnear, but Bramble had other ideas.

Wigan were rocked before the game when they lost Mario Melchiot, Jason Koumas and goalscoring sensation Amr Zaki while Newcastle's only change to the team beaten at Fulham was Sebastien Bassong coming in for Claudio Cacapa.

Both sides desperately needed the points to get away from the bottom of the table with Wigan looking woefully weak up front as they were also without England striker Emile Heskey.

Yet despite their problems a stunned silence fell around St James' Park after just three minutes when Wigan caught Newcastle flat-footed to go ahead.

There seemed little initial danger when Olivier Kapo played the ball in from the left but Taylor was allowed to lift a 20-yard right-footed shot over the stranded Shay Given.

Taylor and Wilson Palacios forced saves out of Given from outside the area as woeful Newcastle were overpowered.

And to make it worse for Kinnear's side, a lunging tackle from Lee Cattermole caught Joey Barton on the ankle forcing the former Manchester City midfielder out of the game after just 15 minutes.

Despite the loss of their key players you could hardly tell as Wigan ran the show.

Indeed, such was Wigan's superiority that Chris Kirkland had only one first-half shot to save, blocking a Martins effort in stoppage time.

Hardly surprisingly Newcastle were jeered from the pitch but not before Kapo had fizzed in a shot from the left that went narrowly wide.

Despite being outclassed, Kinnear still chose not to change it around at the start of the second half.

But their cause was helped after 54 minutes when Emmerson Boyce, booked in the first half, was shown a second yellow following a rash lunge at Shola Ameobi.

However, it was difficult to tell Wigan had a player short as was shown when Henri Camara ran away from Fabricio Coloccini and beat Given only to see his shot rebound into the keeper's arms off the upright.

Owen and Charles N'Zogbia were thrown on and Owen missed a sitter from six yards and then had a header turned over by Kirkland.

But Owen was not to be denied and, after 80 minutes, he forced the ball over the line for the equaliser after Kirkland was only able to parry Ameobi's 20 yarder.

When Martins thumped in a ferocious drive to make it three goals in successive home games - it looked over and out for Wigan.

Bruce was distraught, but that all changed when Bramble came to the rescue with his late, late show.

Newcastle United

Wigan Athletic

Corners

410

Fouls

912

Goal attempts

1712

Shots off target

84

Offsides

07

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